First IOC Version Of AEW&C System Aircraft To Be Handed Over During Aero-India

India’s Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO) will hand over the first Initial Operational Capability (IOC) version of Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft during the upcoming Aero India air show on 14th of this month, DRDO Chairman said Saturday.

The second IOC version will be handed over in the month of May-June this year, Chairman of DRDO, S. Chirstopher said during a press conference on Aero-India international seminar-2017.

DRDO had purchased three EMB-145 aircraft from the Embraer in 2008 and customized them for serving are air-borne radar system known as AEW&CS for the Indian Air Force.

“Presently, our estimate is for the first two AEW&Cs will be about 9200 crores (USD 1.3 billion) followed by four numbers will be about similar number. So on an average, the production cost of an AEW&Cs will be about 2.6-2.7 thousand crores (USD 404 million),” Chirstopher said.

“We are in the process of clearance from the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) this month, negotiations are over, and CCS will have a final approval. With that we shall be able to proceed,” he said.

This Indian spy-in-the-sky will be protected by a comprehensive self-defense system. The plane can act as a command-and-control center to support air defense operations like the AWACS aircraft India got from Israel, and can monitor multiple target aircraft and areas.